Max Gresham has been waiting for nearly two weeks to get behind the wheel of his Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) Chevrolet.
For the driver of the No. 8 Trimmer Assist Chevrolet, two weeks is forever, as he has been eager to race again in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) after finishing third at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 17.
“Sometimes the hardest thing is waiting for the next race, especially when you have a lot of momentum and confidence like we have right now at Eddie Sharp Racing as a team,” Gresham said. “It’s only been two weeks since our last race, but when you’re as excited as we are to keep it going, it seems like it’s been two months.”
Another reason why Gresham’s team is excited to be racing in the Lucas Oil 200 at the Dover International Speedway is that the track presents many of the same challenges as Charlotte. Both tracks have 24-degree banking. Both tracks require an ever-changing set-up. Both tracks demand the very best of both driver and team. However, only one is considered the “Monster Mile.”
“We worked hard on our setup for Charlotte and it really paid off,” crew chief Chris Showalter said. “We focused a lot on the way our Chevrolet Silverado gets through the second and fourth turns. When you’re able to be on the gas pedal, and not on the brakes, on the exits, you’ve already got a running start down the straightaways.
“We know what our trucks like, and we know how to make them turn. That experience will be invaluable for Friday’s race.”
In one career start at Dover in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), the Milner, Georgia, native finished 30th as a mid-race incident took his Joe Denette machine out of contention at the 1-mile track. Gresham started 14th in the 2012 event – his best short track qualifying attempt.
The track also sparks other special memories for the 20-year-old driver. He clinched the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship at the “Monster Mile” in 2011.
“I have very positive memories at Dover,” Gresham said. “It’s always good to come back to a place where you have some experience, even if we’re a young team overall. When I ran the last race of the 2011 K&N season at Dover, I led 39 laps and finished third in the race.”
The challenge now is to create even better memories there, and one of the steps to do so is with a new look and partner.
Gresham will debut a new primary partner in Trimmer Assist. Gresham’s Chevrolet will feature a green and blue fading paint scheme with a silver trimmer on both sides of the car and red trimmer string intertwining with the paint scheme.
“This has been one of the smartest things NLKUSLLC has done to date for our product Trimmer Assist,” Tony Hanes CEO of NLKUSLLC said. “The NASCAR fan base is very loyal. If you have a good product the fans can get behind, they will support you to no end.”
“Our paint scheme for the “Monster Mile,” I assure you, is one of the best ones NASCAR fans have ever seen,” Hanes said. “We really want to thank Max Gresham for an outstanding job representing our new product, the Trimmer Assist, and allowing our company to sponsor the No. 8 Chevrolet at Dover.”
Max Gresham PR